


Heard It Through the Grapevine

by Ashiepants



Series: Nor Any More Heaven or Hell [1]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Carisi family - Freeform, Cute, Dad!Sonny, F/M, Family, Fluffy, Future, Gen, Marriage, Multi, Oral Sex, Parenthood, Set-Up to Drama, Smut, Sonny & Alex, Sonny the Lawyer, mcrisi, voyuerism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-18
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-08-19 19:03:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8221583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashiepants/pseuds/Ashiepants
Summary: Takes place roughly 5 years from where the show is currently set. Sonny is blissfully married with an adorable baby daughter. Recently leaving the SVU squad for good and about to embark on a new career in the Manhattan District Attorney's office. Alex and Sonny head to Staten Island to celebrate Dom Sr's retirement and meet up with some old friends.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This continues off of Head Over Feet (which isn't complete) but there may be some inconsistencies as I've changed some details to fit this story better. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I do. Hit me up on tumblr too @rutabagarabitowitz

Sonny held tight to his daughter as they waited for the ferry. The slight breeze rustled his hair that he'd long since ceased to completely saturate with hair gel. 

"If I haven't told you girls today you look gorgeous," Sonny's dimples deepened as he complimented his wife and baby daughter. 

Alex straightened the skirt of her green wrap dress and smiled back at him. She knew Sonny appreciated the cleavage it provided but was sure her mother in law wouldn't. Still she had made an effort to dress up for the family event. 

Alex pulled on Teddy's little red and black polka dotted dress, "she looks like a ladybug."

Sonny rubbed his nose with his daughter's, "then I love dis little ladybug. Besides my ma bought her dis and she's gonna freak out. Ya know she loves when she's all girly."

Teddy giggled her dimples matching her father's. 

Alex rolled her eyes, "I know. But once she grass stains this up, she's got plaid and jeans!"

Sonny laughed, "well get you a girl who can do both, I guess."

"Dada!" Teddy got his attention and pointed to a seagull perched not far away digging through the port trash. "Duckie, ooo!"

Sonny made a face, "no, sweet pea, dats not a duck, dats disgusting."

Alex laughed. 

"Duckie, duckie!" Teddy called out, clapping her hands. The bird picked his head up at the sound of the small child but resumed eating garbage. 

"Look at the boats, Ted," he attempted to sway her attentions. "We're gonna take da ferry."

"Ya wanna see Papa and Nana?" Alex asked. 

"Papa?" Teddy looked around for her grandfather. 

Sonny grinned, "we'll see him soon, baby."

"PAPA!" she yelled louder when Dom obviously didn't appear. 

Sonny laughed, "silly girl."

Alex straightened one of Teddy's tiny pigtails and grinned, "just think of all the outings to see the duckies now dada. I mean you have weekends!"

Sonny grinned over at her as they moved to get on the arriving ferry. His last day with the NYPD had already came and went. He would be starting with the Manhattan District Attorney's office in a few weeks after he savored the last of his vacation and sick time. 

"I have to admit I like stay at home Sonny," Alex smirked. 

"Don't get used to it sweetheart."

"Carisis!" A booming voice pulled them out of their moment of family bliss. The family turned to see Gina's boyfriend, Elias, strolling towards them waving, Gina following in his wake.

"Thought you were gonna wait for us!" Gina punched her brother in the arm as Elias playfully ruffled Teddy's hair. Teddy giggled. 

"This one took forever to waddle down 10th," Elias smirked and pointed at Gina's bulging belly. 

She hit him, "asshole!"

"Geegee!" Teddy cried when she recognized her aunt, clapping her hands and reaching for her. 

Gina grinned and poked Teddy's dimples, "heya sweet girl."

Sonny laughed, "enjoy da last trimester--"

"Oh, we're enjoying it," Elias wiggled his eyebrow at Gina.

Sonny stiffened and threw him a disapproving look. Alex hit his arm with her own disapproving look. Elias was nearly 6 inches shorter than Gina but his wild curly hair almost made up the difference. He and Gina had been together nearly 2 years and welcoming their first child in just a few weeks. Yet, Sonny still found ways to pretend to dislike him. He called it "caution" when Alex questioned his behavior. She called it "being an ass."

"You'll have little screaming monster before you know it!" Alex grinned. "And sore nipples and stained clothes and absolutely no second to yourself ever."

"Ya gonna love it," Sonny finished. 

Gina beamed at Elias and they shared a few seconds of eye contact. 

"And dats the most intimacy you can expect for da next 18 years," Sonny joked. 

"Gawd, Al, you look great!" Gina sighed, ignoring her little brother. "I'm a freakin' cow!"

"You're not a cow!" Alex and Elias reminded her at the same time, laughing at their shared thought. 

"Yeah but look at your waist!"

"Spanx!" She pulled on the elastic under her clothes and let it snap against her skin. "Besides look at my cleavage your mom is gonna go ballistic! 'When I was a mother I never wore things like dat!'" 

Gina laughed, "unless she spends all her time bitching about us still not being married."

"Gee, I told you not to listen to your mom," Elias sighed and squeezed her shoulder. 

Sonny rolled his eyes, "or maybe she'll just be in a good mood. Ya know her husband is retiring today. Maybe she doesn't have time to criticize her daughters."

Alex grinned at him, "alright baby, we'll just go celebrate ol' Dom."

"Dat right, Ted? Let's go party!" he bounced her in his arms until she laughed.  
****  
Patrol cars lined the streets as cops in and out of uniform mingled around the tables of food and the sizzling grills. Children ran around on the green lawns of Ivy Avenue which was blocked off for Dom's retirement party. 

"Are you sure that's comfortable?" Annette eyed Alex's generous cleavage. 

Alex threw her husband an "I told you so" glare but smiled at her mother in law, "having Ted really changed how I fit into my clothes-"

"Yeah, dey fit better than ever," Sonny winked at her and popped an olive into his mouth from the vegetable array in front of them. 

Alex elbowed him in the side and Sonny laughed. Annie gave them a disapproving look and resumed filling her plate with snacks. At their feet Teddy stood on shaky legs holding fast to the hem of Alex's dress. She bounced on her knees but didn't dare step forward on the uneven lawn. Annie knelt down and began speaking to her in baby talk which made Teddy giggle. 

"Who's my good girl?" Annette cooed while scooping her up and taking her to the cool retreat under the patio canopy next to her grandfather who was surrounded by other cops Dom's age. At once all the men turned to Teddy in Annette's arms and began pulling faces for her and tickling her fat cheeks. 

Alex rolled her eyes as she watched her cart her daughter away. "She's like a pet!"

"Al, she's a grandma! Dat's what dey live for!" Sonny explained patiently, stealing another olive this time from Alex's plate. 

"So I'm supposed to let her? You know that that baby talk does nothing but discourage them from learning real language--"

"Please!" Sonny held up his hand. "Let's not, Dr. Spock."

She rolled her eyes. 

"You an' I both know dat you're just annoyed because it's my ma. So let's skip dah righteousness today, Al!"

She set her plate down and crossed her arms. Sonny ignored her pout and added olives and cubes of cheese to Alex's abandoned plate. 

"I really don't think an afternoon of baby talk and constant attention is gonna hold Teddy back from graduating on time," he added. "Can we enjoy the break?"

She sighed and softened her look, "yeah let's get a beer, counselor."

"Now we're talkin'!" He grinned, his arm circled her waist and he grabbed the full plate as he pulled her in the direction of the coolers. 

A few men around Sonny's age were huddled near by the beers. 

"Holy shit! Sonny Carisi!" One of the men clapped him on the back with a huge laughing grin. His dark hair was freshly cut and cropped short on the sides. He had on a worn Giants jersey and shorts. A polar opposite of Sonny's only slightly dressed down from his standard detective wear ensemble, plaid button down, sleeves rolled past his elbows and dark jeans. 

Sonny took only a second to register the stranger. "Vinny? 'Ey, how are ya?"

He held up his beer can and rolled his eyes, "it's Vince, but I'm alright, alright. I actually just made the force!"

"Staten Island PD?" Sonny sounded surprised. Alex raised an eyebrow at her husband's reaction and watched the interaction curiously. 

Vince nodded, but ignored the surprise, "Dis ya girl?"

"Oh," Sonny jumped and looked at Alex, who smirked at him. "This is my wife, Alex."

"Alex!" He grinned at her and held out his hand. "I'm Vince. Vincent DiRialto, I went to high school with Sonny."

"We used to call him Vinny," Sonny added. 

Alex took his hand and shook with a genuine smile, "nice to meet you."

Sonny scowled as he watched Vince's eyes rove over his wife's figure that minutes before he was complimenting himself. 

"Ey!"

"Oh hey, c'mon. She's beeautiful!" He leered at her. "Ey, what're you doin' wit a loser like Carisi?"

"How do you know I'm not a losah too?" Alex shot back leaning down into the cooler to pull out two cans of beer, allowing the small congregation to admire her figure. She handed one beer to Sonny with a wink. 

He grinned back appreciatively. 

Vince laughed, "I'm sure ya not a loser."

"Al's an ER nurse," Sonny explained proudly as she tipped the can back down her throat. 

"No kidding, my ex was a pharmacy tech. Guess cops and nurses have a thing, huh?" He illustrated with his hands. 

Alex smirked, "yeah maybe. Sonny's not a cop anymore though."

Vince raised an eyebrow, "no."

Another old friend, a thin redhead, hit him in the shoulder, "c'mon dontcha follow Annie on Facebook, Sonny is the new District Attorney."

Sonny felt his cheeks redden as he looked down. "I'm not the DA. Just an assistant."

"We're still proud Sonny," Alex reminded him. 

Vince looked dumbfounded, "I mean I- w-wow. I heard ya was in law school but... I mean ya old man talks you up. 'Sonny's squad did dis' and 'ya know Sonny's detective second grade now?' But, I mean dat's great man."

Sonny looked as his feet as they shuffled in the grass. He felt like an asshole showing up his high school buddies. 

"I mean Carisi was always bettah than all a us." 

"I'm not better than you," Sonny shook his head. "It's really great you made the force."

"Yeah, you're old man still treats me like I'm that screw up kid from St. Mary's though," he laughed. He looked Alex in the eye as he continued, "we all didn't have a cop dad to pull us out when it got tough, ya know?"

Sonny grimaced, but avoided further discussions by sipping his beer. "You got kids?"

"There's my little brother!" Theresa raced towards them looking stylish as ever. She grinned wide at the men and batted her long eyelashes before turning her gaze on Alex. 

"Beer, Alex?" She clicked her tongue, "oh no we need margaritas!"

She held a bag of party supplies aloft with a grin. "C'mon, party's here!"

Sonny hugged her briefly and gratefully followed her back up to the house. They stopped momentarily at their parents under the canopy. 

"Fashionably late?" their mother rolled her eyes at her eldest daughter even as she hugged her. "Even Alex was here early enough to put out food."

Alex raised her eyebrows, "even Alex?"

Annie smiled ruefully, "you know what I mean."

Alex held up her beer and took another long sip. "At least I'm one of the kids now."

"Oh my gawd!" Theresa yelled. "Can you believe this little girl?!"

She pushed the bag of booze into Sonny's arms and reached for her niece snuggled securely in her Papa's arms. 

"Hi cutie! Come here to Auntie T!" she grinned. 

Teddy fought her, turning to reach for her grandfather. She shook her little head and complained loudly, "NO!"

Sonny chuckled as his sister struggled. "Still not having kids, Therese?"

She held onto Teddy awkwardly under her arms. She sputtered a minute trying to think of a good comeback but she settled on, "shut up Sonny!"

"You still have a blender, Ma?" Theresa turned back. 

"Of course, what do you--"

"Lets go make some margs!" she announced. "Hey Bell-luh!"

The youngest Carisi girl was spinning her 3-year-old son, Lucas, on her arms in a circle. She released him into the pit of foam pieces set up as a playpen. She grinned and waved at her sister. 

"We're making margaritas!" She hollered back. 

Annette rolled her eyes at her oldest as she lumbered into the house with her niece still under her arms. Alex dropped her can in the bin and touched her shoulder, after taking the bag from Sonny. 

"I'll chaperone," she smirked and followed them. 

Bella and Tommy walked over to join their family under the canopy. 

"Theresa still celebratin' 'the summer of Me'?" Bella smirked, winded as her and Sonny started laughing amongst themselves. 

"Give ya sister a break, would ya?" their father silenced. "She's going through a rough patch. Jesus, it's like you guys are kids again!"

Sonny rubbed his shoe through the grass and smiled sideways at his dad. "We're not kids anymore dad."

"Yeah, sorry daddy," Bella grinned. "I can't believe you're retiring. When I was Jamie's age I told everybody about how my dad was a cop and how he was gonna protect and serve. I was so proud."

Dom looked away embarrassed, but his eyes twinkled at his daughter. "'Ey Sonny's not a cop either!"

"Dad this isn't about me." It was Sonny's turn to look embarrassed. 

"Well I'm proud of both of you!" Annie rubbed her husband's shoulder. "But I'm glad you're both out of the line of duty. It adds 10 years on my life at least!"

"Ma-" Sonny started to roll his eyes. 

"Don't argue with me," she chastised. 

"Speaking of being in the line of duty," Tommy piped up sitting down next to his wife. "Were you talking to Vince DiRialto?"

"Yeah," Sonny grimaced, "who's decision was it to put dat guy on the force?"

Dom shrugged, "the kid has turned around."

"Ya think so?" Sonny looked back over his shoulder at him laughing with the same group Sonny and Alex just left. 

"If I stop believing in redemption, I gotta stop being on da thin blue line, kid."

The corner of his lips turned up, "yeah, but this is you're retirement party!"

Dom started to laugh along with Sonny. He found a chair beside his father, each man's profile matching in similar shapes. With Sonny's abundance of silver he looked more like his father than ever. He settled in with the rest of his family enjoying the relief from the summer sun under the canopy. 

"You guys all packed up?" Bella ventured. 

Annie sighed and looked at her husband. "I don't-"

"We're goin' Annie!" Dom finished. "Da kids paid for it."

"I know," she smiled at her children. 

"Ma, you guys have never gone on a real vacation," Sonny added. As a retirement gift the kids had bought their parents a trip on a cruise in the Caribbean. 

Bella made eye contact with her brother and rolled her eyes. "At least not with us kids. You deserve this!"

"Yeah, it'll be romantic!" Elias joined in with a grin. "The open sea, the--"

Annette and Dom both turned their gaze on him. He shrugged and held up his drink in salute. Gina rubbed his shoulder. 

"You guys are going!" Sonny insisted. "It wasn't exactly cheap..."

"Sonny!" Bella yelled. "You should go! It will be good. Not because we spent money!"

"Well pack da sunscreen, baby," Dom smirked at his wife. She rolled her eyes. 

After a little while Alex and Theresa exited the house, Teddy now firmly attached to her mother's hip. Each woman held onto a plastic margarita glass with slushy pink drinks inside. 

"Daddy, you want a margarita to celebrate?" Theresa pushed one into his hands. 

"No, baby, thank you," he kissed her cheek. "I'm just glad you showed up."

"Well of course," she almost looked hurt. "My family means the world to me."

She leaned over and made kissy faces at Teddy once more. The little girl reached into the glass in her aunt's hand. 

"Teddy! No, baby!" Alex pulled her away and tried to wipe her hand. 

Theresa shrugged, "a little slushy won't hurt her!"

"Theresa dere's tequila in dere!" Sonny raised his eyebrow. 

"And what? She's got your tolerance?" she giggled. 

Sonny continued to glare at her. 

"Alright, fine!" she rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Just like old times," Dom smiled at his wife beside him. She just nodded. 

"Oh hey, who's mista roid rage, ovah there?" Theresa eyed a scuffle down the yard and out on the street. 

The family turned to see Sonny's high school buddies in a heated match. The thin red head, Mike Sullivan, better known as Sully was in the face of Vince who sneered menacingly at his associate. Sonny ran down immediately, Alex following after leaving Teddy with Annie. Dom and Tommy ran after them as back up. 

"You're a fucking animal!" Sully yelled at Vince. 

Vince was already bloody and mimicking a dog by baring his teeth at Sully. 

"'Ey!" Sonny yelled louder than the both of them not hesitating to step between them and push them apart. Alex stepped forward only out of fear of Sonny getting into the scuffle. 

"What the hell is going on?" Sonny continued to hold them apart. 

"He hit me!" Vince claimed, his face flush with adrenaline but beginning to bruise. His fingers were still curled into fists. 

Sully's lip was busted as he shook his head angrily. His slight wife had come up behind him and touched his shoulder, releasing the anger from his body. "You're a fucking maniac, ya know that Vinny? Don't fucking come near my family!"

Sully threw Sonny a serious look but turned and spoke softly to his wife as they walked away, attempting to explain himself. Sonny still held Vince with his arm. 

"Fuckin' douchebag!" Vince spat on the ground. 

"Son?" Dom questioned Sonny with concern, hands resting on his hips in a signature cop pose. 

Sonny nodded and released Vince. "It's alright. Right?"

Vince looked up the yard at the still imposing elder Carisi. He might've grimaced but it was lost under his bloodied nose. "Sorry sir. Lost my temper."

"Yeah, cool it," Sonny warned, coldly, and walked away from him. 

Alex stepped close and stared at his injuries shrewdly, eyebrows furrowing. Vince instinctively stepped back but she followed and pressed her fingers to his cheek. 

"What the fuck?!" he yelled. Sonny turned at the outburst but almost smiled at Alex's instinct to nurse him. 

"That hurt?" Alex made direct eye contact and motioned him into the house. "C'mon let me clean you up."

He looked back at her with a nervous smile. 

"I'm a nurse," she added with an eye roll. 

He just nodded and followed her away from the sounds of the party, through the kitchen and into a downstairs bathroom. 

"Sit," she instructed and squatted down to grab the first aid kit from under the sink. 

"Ya know your way around," he commented. 

"Lucas and Jamie, Bella's boys, play rough," she smiled ruefully as she turned. 

She poured peroxide on some cotton balls and moved towards his face. He winced and she made an annoyed grunt. 

"Don't be a baby. You're a police officer."

He sneered and his lip curled, "I'm not a baby!"

His anger surprised Alex and she swallowed as she moved back. 

Vince softened. "Sorry."

She shook her head, "I know your type."

"My type?" He smirked. 

"Yeah, macho, chauvinist...tough guys," she shrugged as she finished cleaning his bloody nose and tenderly touched his cheeks

"'Ey!"

"Relax, I'm checking for broken bones," she rolled her eyes at him again. "I'm pretty good at my job."

Vince laughed, wincing at the pain in his cheeks. "You're a tough girl, huh?"

She shrugged, "you grow up in an army family, you work in an urban ER, you grow some scales."

"I like dat," he marveled continuing to stare. 

She stared back and took a breath. "Well, nothing broken. I'm just gonna bandage this."

"No stitches?" he asked. 

Alex shook her head negatively as she pulled out bandages. "No, these butterflies should get you healed up."

"Annie Carisi keeps this box stocked, huh?" He chuckled looking at the professional grade first aide box in Alex's lap. 

"Oh, no I put this here. All she had was alcohol swabs and spongebob band-aids," she made a face, as she carefully applied the bandages. 

He laughed again.

"What?" she raised an eyebrow. 

"Just surprised Annie let you take charge," he explained. 

"She doesn't, but I'm stubborn too," Alex shrugged. "Besides I think she respects I'm a nurse at least."

He shook his head, momentarily keeping her from her work. "Sonny's a lucky guy."

"I'm a lucky girl," Alex corrected, smiling at the thought of her husband outside pulling the guys off each other in the street. Keeping the peace, inserting himself into a situation he didn't have to. It wasn't going to be easy to transition back to civilian. 

"Yeah, yeah, good you two found each other an' all dat," he frowned slightly. 

"Not married?" Alex made direct eye contact, turning away from her careful bandaging. 

Vince shook his head negatively, "not the marrying type."

She smirked in return, "neither was I, but Sonny was like a ton of bricks."

"Yeah, if I remember him right there ain't nothin' subtle about him," he laughed

The sound of a child crying caught her attention and Sonny soon appeared with Teddy wailing into his shoulder. 

"'Ey Al?" Sonny asked, unperturbed by her fit, but eyeing the scene curiously. 

Alex shut the first aide box with a snap and stood to wash her hands. "What happened?"

"Theresa spilled her marg down the back of her dress," he pursed his lips and moved his arm to show her the soaked material. "Where's her bag?"

"Why's she crying?"

"I think the cold scared her," he explained. He stared at Vince who hadn't moved from his spot and watched them interact. 

Alex followed his eyes back to Vince and stared at him wide eyed. "You'll be fine. Try not to let those get wet."

She turned away abruptly and ushered her husband and crying child out into the living room. She coaxed Teddy from his arms as she directed where to find her bag in an upstairs bedroom. She rocked Teddy from her knees, her fingers curling through her hair while Sonny raced upstairs. 

"Alright, little lady bug it's just some a little cold," she soothed. "No use being scared."

Vince stood in the hallway watching Alex and Teddy rocking a few minutes. 

"Thanks, Alex," he called. 

She didn't turn, just toss her hand out noncommittally as she continued to comfort her daughter.  
****  
The afternoon sun had begun to fade and with Teddy napping in the house, along with her aunt Gina, Alex was filling up on seconds of the cake bought for Dom. She licked icing off her fingers as she made her way over to a grouping of empty chairs. She was about to settle when she saw Vince sitting alone sipping his beer. 

She made her way over with a polite smile. Vince grinned. 

"Did you get cake?" she asked as she sat down near him but not quite next to him. 

"Not a cake fan," he grimaced. 

"No," she shoved a forkful into her mouth. "Your loss," she added thickly. "Face still hurt?"

He held his beer up, "this helps."

She chuckled, "nature's painkiller."

"Ya know my pops was never dat prouda me," he cut and motioned with his beer bottle towards Sonny and Dom who was busy showing him off to his captain. 

Alex watched his jealous sneer sadly. It wasn't his fault Sonny drew the long straw for fathers. 

"Some dads have trouble showing it. My grandad was like that with my dad." She sighed, continuing to eat cake. "Is he still around?"

"My old man? Naw, he died a few years back. Didn't get to see me do anything with my life," he spat bitterly. 

She frowned, "well I'm sure he'd be proud of you now."

He stared at her and a small smile played on the corner of his lips, "ya very kind for sayin' dat."

Alex just grinned and nodded, focusing on her cake. 

"Ey, Al!" Sonny called from across the yard, "Ma wants pictures."

"Alright," she yelled back. "Better go be a good daughter in law."

Vince laughed, "don't let the Italian Mom-fia get ya down."

Alex laughed as she flounced across lawn to Sonny. Vince watched her. When she got close enough to her husband they both reached out for their daughter in Theresa's arms at the same time. The couple laughed at each other's instinct. Sonny relented to Alex and let her hold the still sleepy baby on her hip, leaning in to kiss his daughter's cheek and then his wife's. 

Vince sipped his beer as he watched the extended Carisi family pose. Bella and Tommy each with their hand upon the shoulders of their two boys. Theresa's hair nearly blocking her mother from the cameras gaze. Gina and Elias, his hands proudly gripping her pregnant belly and Dom and Annette in the middle. 

Vince was still narrowed in on Sonny and his wife and baby. Sonny who'd always been better than him, even though his affable nature kept him from ever gloating. Somehow that made it worse. No matter what Vince did he'd never be like Carisi.  
****  
Alex examined her naked reflection, running her hands over her hips following the lines the elastic left in her skin. 

"My body really is different," she groaned loudly to Sonny on the other side of the room. 

He smirked at her through the mirror and crossed the room, half undressed in just boxers and his plaid shirt, unbuttoned. He placed his hands over hers on her wide hips. 

"It's better than ever," he murmured, his lips enveloping her earlobe. 

"Oh c'mon," she continued to complain. "You say that but--"

He stood up and rolled his eyes, "fine, you're fat, Al."

She turned to glare but he grasped her hips once more, this time more roughly, pressing his body to her backside and floating his hands over her abdomen until it rested on her mound. Alex pulsed with desire. 

"Maybe I don't care about that," he stroked her skin gently and kissed her neck. 

As if on cue Teddy yelled loudly from her bedroom breaking them from their spell. Sonny rested his head on her shoulder and gave her a pout in the mirror.

"Dada! Hot!" Teddy cried. 

Alex rubbed his arm sympathetically, "go get the baby. I need a shower."

Sonny's mood dampened, "well think about me in there. 

She turned and picked up a stray one of sonny's shirts draped over the chair. She put it on over her shoulders to cover her nude form and kissed Sonny on the cheek. "Work your magic and get her back to sleep and we'll talk."

They parted ways at the threshold of their bedroom door and Sonny went into Teddy's room. She bounced on her knees when he arrived but her face was twisted into a tiny scowl. 

She'd fallen asleep on the journey home but was upset to wake up back in her bed. 

"Hot!" she complained. 

Sonny grimaced sympathetically, "too many layers, sweet pea?"

He lifted her from her crib and started peeling off the extra layers of clothes they'd dressed her in to combat the chill on the water. Back in the apartment it wasn't nearly as chilly as the river. He pulled off her little jeans and sat her on the changing table to pull off her shirt. Teddy giggled as she was stripped down to only her diaper. 

Sonny grinned. "Dat cool ya down?"

He lifted her into his arms once more and did a little dance with her across the room. Teddy cried out gleefully and grasped her father's cheeks. Sonny continued smiling at her. 

"You're so cute, baby," he murmured. "I love ya so much."

"Dada!" Teddy smiled and made a little kissy face. 

"Ya giving me kisses?" He rocked her and kissed her cheeks as she began laughing. 

He caught his breath as he sat with Teddy in the armchair. "I'm so glad I got to spend all dis time with you Ted."

Teddy cooed and cuddled into her dad's shoulder and neck. Sonny gripped her tighter. 

"You are the best thing in my life," Sonny kissed her forehead. "You and ya ma. Ted do you know how much I love you guys?"

Teddy reached up and touched his lips. Sonny kissed her little fingers. 

"When it was just me and Al, Mama, I thought that was the most I could love somebody else. It was--" he looked into his baby girl's eyes and smiled, "well you're gonna know one day. I hope you do anyway. Many many years from now. But when you got here it changed everything. My heart got dis big!"

He illustrated with his hands. 

"Big," Teddy repeated and grasped his hands. 

"Ya know your ma's been talking about another Teddy," he grinned. "I dunno, baby. My heart might explode if you had a brother or sister!"

Teddy grunted and pointed to her stuffed animals across the room. "Mo-mo!"

"Elmo?" Sonny got up and grabbed the furry red monster. "I like Cookie Monster."

Teddy yanked the Elmo plush into her chest and then took the Cookie Monster as well from Sonny. "cooookey!" she pronounced with a long vowel. 

"You got lotsa love ta give, huh, Ted?" 

She babbled on with her plush toys in her father's lap speaking the language only she knew. He smiled as he watched her a few more minutes, savoring all her playtime antics.

"Let's get you in jammies, baby," Sonny lifted her again to find clothes for her. Teddy began whining he tried to fit a shirt over her head. 

"You wanna sleep naked?" He questioned and laughed. "I'm sure it'll help with what ya ma calls 'positive body image'."

He set her down in the crib and handed her her plush friends. Her little arms gripped Elmo tight and she lost her balance against the railing, plopping down on her diapered bottom. 

He laughed again, "mama's such a nerd, Ted. I'll fix you a nice bottle to sleep with."

He turned towards the door and jumped when he saw Alex with dripping hair and a towel draped over her shoulders. She held the bottle out in front of her. 

"Already done," she announced and cooed at her daughter as she leaned over the crib. "Topless again?"

Teddy took the bottle her mother held out eagerly. She continued to hold tight to her Elmo but held the bottle to her lips, her blue eyes still trained on her parents who watched her. 

"We look like idiots," Alex murmured as they stared at their offspring eating her sleepytime meal and nudged Sonny away. 

"Or lovin' parents," he shrugged leading the way to their bedroom. He stopped at the threshold realizing Alex was no longer behind him, instead she was just in Teddy's door assuring she kept the bottle to her lips and was beginning to drift off. She shut off the overhead light and only the glow of the star lamp on wall shone a faint yellow halo around the crib. 

"Al," he scolded. 

"I'm coming," she whispered, shutting the door only half way and tiptoeing to join him in their bedroom once more. 

Sonny stretched and finally pulled his button down from his shoulders. He grabbed a t-shirt from the top of the hamper, sniffing it briefly before yanking it overhead. Alex snorted from behind him, her left foot propped on the edge of the bed as she applied lotion to her calves. She made an indecipherable noise as she shook her head. 

Sonny smirked at her. "What?"

"Nothin' Sonny. Today was good," she added. 

"Mhmm," he nodded agreement, beginning to pull on the bedsheets. "People really loved my dad."

Alex smiled to herself. "Must be that Carisi charm."

She wiped her hands on the edge of the towel and sat down on her side of the bed. 

"Ya know, I thought about what you said the other day," Sonny flopped on the bed beside her as she toweled her hair

She looked back at him, "what did I say the other day?"

He smiled and pulled her towards him by the waist. Alex giggled as he dragged her down on the bed. 

He whispered through her wet locks as he kissed her neck, "having another baby."

She grinned up at him as he anchored himself over her. "Oh, that."

"Yeah," he kissed her again. "That. I think we should do it."

"Oh yeah?" She teased and released a small moan as his kisses began having the desired effect. 

He ran his hands down her and slipping inside her bottoms. 

"Sonny..." her request trailed off as he teased her and kissed gently down her body. 

He pulled her bottoms down, softly kissing her thighs as they went. 

"That's not how we make babies, Detective," she teased sitting up just enough to watch him and smirked deviously. 

"It is if you know how to make your wife wet," he murmured and nibbled towards her center. "And it's counselor now."

She moaned as his tongue found her spot, tossing her head back against the pillow as he sucked and licked. Alex chewed her lips with passion while he worked a familiar path across her nether lips, alternating with kisses on her thighs. 

"I love you," she sighed as he kissed her soft skin. 

Sonny smiled to himself remembering a time when I love you was a foreign language to Alex. It still felt special to him to elicit that response. All her I love you's we're saved for her husband. 

She moaned softly under his tongue, murmuring how good it felt. Her thighs came up and open for Sonny as he manipulated her further, grabbing hold of her ass and pulling himself in. Alex shuddered. He loved that he could anticipate every moan. It used to be that they would get hot just being naked around each other, but now the sheer intimacy of their bond made it sexy. 

They didn't need to have sex every night, and with Teddy and full time jobs they definitely weren't. When they found the time they took their time, savoring each other. 

A loud trill stopped them in their tracks. 

"What is that?" Alex was broken from the moment popping her eyes open and seeing a call flash on her phone plugged in on the nightstand. "Oh my god, leave us alone," she yelled reaching out to shut off the ringer. 

Sonny pressed his digits into her at the same moment. "Don't answer dat baby."

"Yeah," she groaned softly as the phone slipped from her fingers and beside her on the bed. She didn't notice that her finger slid across the screen answering the call. 

She just chewed her lip and tossed her head back with pleasure as Sonny sawed his fingers in and out. 

"Alex?" The voice on the other end answered but neither Alex nor Sonny could hear. 

Sonny climbed on top of his wife, fingers barely leaving their station for a moment. 

"Yes," she cried out again. 

Sonny grinned down at her, blue eyes sparkling with lust. He pressed his body to hers inhaling her fresh skin and kissing her shoulders. Alex bit into his opposite shoulder and followed it with a dozen kisses down his arms. 

"I want you," she breathed. "I want you inside me."

Sonny kissed her earlobe as his arm splayed her thighs. He guided himself into her entrance, grunting with effort. 

"Fuck," he gasped. 

"Like that," she encouraged, neck stretching back and lips opening. 

Sonny beat his hips to hers in a steady rhythm, one he knew well. Despite the repeated dance they still cried out with passion. It was less routine and more a perfected art. 

"Baby," he groaned quickly following it with a series of kisses. 

"I want it from behind," Alex moaned, never hesitating to tell him what she wanted. 

"Shit," Sonny grunted as she pulled herself up and climbed into the new position. 

Alex shut her eyes and breathed out hard when he pushed back inside her, hitting her in new spots. It didn't take long for her to finish now that her hips were pointed up to him and her face rested on her arms and the pillow. 

"Yes, baby, yes!"

Sonny held onto her hips as she spasmed, beginning to feel himself overcome with the sensation. He shut his eyes moving into her in deliberate, hard strokes until he too came. Alex cooed beneath him as he made gentle circles on her hips with his fingers while they came down from the high. 

He pushed off her and rolled onto his back beside her. Alex turned her head and stared at her husband's flushed face, sweat tracing his brow. She grinned. Alex held tight to Sonny, licking and sucking on his neck, kissing along his jawline. 

"Al, ya gonna give me a hickey," he complained with a smile. 

"I want everyone at the DA's office to know who you belong to," she squeezed. "You're so good to me baby."

Sonny snaked his arm around her middle. "I love you, Al."

"I love you more," she sighed and cuddled into his side. 

Next to Alex's pillow the screen of her phone flashed and the call ended.


End file.
